Taxi drivers: ‘We will no longer fight over routes’

The Seshego Polokwane Taxi Association has assured commuters and related stakeholders that they will no longer fight for routes.

Myriads of commuters were left stranded and inconvenienced by a seven day-long lay-off that was the result of the rift between Moletjie and Seshego Polokwane Taxi Associations.

This spilled over into violence last week, when a sedan and taxi belonging to the two associations were set alight.

The untimely fracas forced commuters to make unusual and not so economically viable alternative transport to commute them from their work places and respective homes from last week Thursday to Monday.

The two associations have been at loggerheads since last year over the routes and permits.

The Spokesperson for the Seshego Polokwane Taxi Association, Moshita Lekganyane said they are happy to be back in the main routes.

“We met with the Department of Transport on Monday and they resolved that all taxis should go back to their routes. We also resolved that no taxis will be allowed to operate without permits. All our taxis were operating on Monday and we can assure our commuters that we will no longer fight for routes.

“We would also like to apologise to all commuters who were affected by the lay-off. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience. We know it has been seven days with their normal transport and the situation made people arrive late for work and we apologise for that. Most of them rely on us to move from one area to another, others could afford private transport but we feel for those who were affected.”

The Spokesperson for the Department of Transport, Mike Maringa said the department resolved that it has issued directives to ensure that law and order is maintained and to guarantee safe and reliable public transport for the commuters and the citizens of Polokwane.

He said all operators must operate in accordance with their operating licences.

“The MEC reserves the right to suspend the operators of public transport who continue to engage in conflict and license other modes of transport to ferry commuters. All operators must operate in accordance with the operating licensees.”

Maringa added that the binding or parking of public transport vehicles in places designated as holding areas is prohibited and such vehicles will be impounded.

“No unlicensed taxi ranks will be allowed, public transport vehicles operated in areas not stipulated in their operating licenses will be impounded.

“No vehicle should be operated as public transport without an operating licence. Any operator who operates a vehicle as public transport without an operating licence commits an offence and will be fined and the vehicle shall be impounded.”